GBW 100th Anniversary Exhibition Catalog Bind-O-Rama

Initiated in 2004, the Bind-O-Rama challenge and online exhibition
has become an annual event. This year features the catalog to the Guild's 100th
anniversary exhibition. A total of 26 entries were received and I was quite
pleased to see the variety of bindings by seasoned professionals, students,
and those in-between. Shown are numerous nice decorated papers, traditional
leather-work, and interesting designs.

While the number of entries was lower than expected based on the number of
orders received for the unbound catalog, I am pleased to be able to report that
the entire edition (1500 copies, 150 unbound) of the exhibition catalog is now
virtually sold out, and that before the close of the exhibition at Dartmouth
in late Novemember. This is an amazing feat in its own right given the challenges
faced by those who produce and market exhibition catalogs. While the print catalog
is sold out, the online
exhibition will continue to remain online at the Guild's website
hosted by Conservation Online.

Like all past Bind-O-Ramas, this one will be included in the upcoming issue
of the Bonefolder scheduled for publication late October.

Eric Alstrom has been involved with the book arts since 1989. He studied
under James Craven and also at the Bessenberg Bindery in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
He has taken workshops from many bookbinders and artists, including Daniel
Kelm, Barb Korbel, Sid Neff, Jr. and Sylvie Rennie. Eric is head of conservation
at Michigan State University Libraries and teaches binding and book arts
workshops. For further information, please visit Eric
Alstrom | BookWorks.

Whitney Baker, Lawrence, KS, USA.

Preprogram work/study at the University of Iowa Center for the Book.
MLIS in library science with advanced certificate in library and archives
conservation, University of Texas at Austin. Advanced internship at the
Library of Congress under Tom Albro.

Sherry Barber, Frisco, TX, USA.

Since 2000, I have studied with several binders including Pam Leutz,
David Lawrence, Catherine Burkhard, Priscilla Spitler, Monique Lallier,
and Jan Sabota. I am currently teaching bookbinding at the Craft Guild
of Dallas.

Trained in conservation at the NY Botanical Gardens and the New York
Public Library (where she received full time intensive training in fine
binding and conservation from Elaine Reidy Schlefer). Has attended numerous
workshops and intensives, including Hugo Peller, Tini Miura and Deborah
Evetts in fine binding, and Abigail Quant and Bernard Middleton in conservation.
For 17 years has been a Rare Book Conservator at the Harold B. Lee Library
at Brigham Young University.

Boards are covered in decorative long fiber tissue with a collage of
decorative paper scraps in the center of each board. Some scraps are paste
papers of my own design while other scraps are paste papers from other
artists or printed decorative paper. The stations closest to the head
and tail were sewn using the caterpillar pattern. The sewing in the center
is the Celtic weave. Both patterns are from Keith Smith's Non-Adhesive
Binding vol. 3. The remaining four stations were sewn using a two needle
Coptic pattern. Sewing for all stations was done using dyed linen thread.
29 x 22 x 2.25 cm.

Graduate student in the book and paper conservation program at the University
of Texas, Austin. Currently interning in the Conservation Lab of the Special
Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Library.

Leigh Craven, Dorchester, MA, USA.

Leigh Craven has a BFA in printmaking from Cornell University and a MFA
in printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design, and studies bookbinding
with Peter Verheyen. She has taught at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New
York, is currently teaching in the Department of Art at Bridgewater State
College in Massachusetts, and has been a visiting professor at various
other institutions. Her work has been exhibited widely in group and solo
exhibitions earning her numerous honors and awards.

Internship in General and Special Collections Conservation under Whitney
Baker, Conservator, KU Libraries. Workshops with Jim Canary, Gary Frost,
and John Tonkin. Currently working at Milner Library, Illinois State University
as Conservator.

Mary Drabik, Shoreview, Minnesota USA.

Wire Edge binding using Daniel Kelm's technique and a drop back spine
I learned from Jill Jevne. The book has a cloth cover with insets using
Claire Maziarczyk's paste paper. This paper was also used to anchor the
wire sewn into each signature. 28.7 x 22 x 2.5 cm.

As a member of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, I have been privileged
to take a variety of bookbinding classes from resident and visiting teachers.
Jana Pullman and Jody Williams have been especially helpful. I have also
taken bookbinding workshops at Split Rock, Haystack, and Paper and Book
Intensive. I'm currently taking a longer term course of study through
the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild..

Studied with Jacqueline Liekens in Brussels, Belgium, 2006. Classes
with Monique Lallier and Daniel Kelm, 2007. Previously took courses and
workshops at Smithsonian Institution, New York Center for Book Arts, and
Pyramid Atlantic.

Dolores Guffey, Eureka, CA, USA.

Faux leather covers made from Kraft paper impregnated with shoe polish;
hand marbled end papers by D. Guffey; Double Needle Coptic Binding with
wax linen thread; covers have windows cut out to reveal images on the
first and last pages of the catalog; a photocopy of one of the books from
catalog was mounted on the front cover. 28 x 21.5 x 1.5 cm.

I have been binding books and studying printing as a hobby since March,
2007. I've taken 2 classes at the Craft Guild of Dallas. My first binding
instruction was taught by Jim Croft earlier this year. I learned to do
the case binding in a recent class from David Lawrence and the staff of
the Craft Guild. I also studied at the Texas A&M University Book History
Seminar this year where we bound pamphlets and other ephemeral items from
the hand press period.

Studied with Scott Kellar, Monique Lallier, Priscilla Spitler; 365/24/7
technical support by Peter Verheyen. She is currently Exhibitions Chair
with the Guild of Book Workers, was a juror for the 100th anniversary
exhibition, and is represented in the contemporary
part of the exhibition with a binding.

Forrest Jackson, Dallas, TX USA .

This hollowback binding of The Guild of Book Workers 100th Anniversary
Exhibition is sewn on three frayed linen cords. The spine is quarter leather
bound in the skin of a copperhead snake that was shot and tanned by the
binder in August 2007. (I love snakes, but couldn’t suffer this
venomous one to live on my land.) The book also features top-edge gilding,
leather headbands and Lokta Momi paper covered boards and endsheets. 28.7
x 21.8 x 1.5 cm.

I started bookbinding at the Craft Guild of Dallas in 1997. Since then,
I have pursued fine binding, conservation and restoration. I’ve
also taught beginning restoration classes at the Craft Guild and the Edgemere
Retirement Community. Currently, I slowly practice this Old World trade
for entertainment purposes only. More examples of my work can be seen
at Rosedale Rare Books. Favorite instructors: Sally Key, Jim Croft, Pamela
Leutz and David Lawrence.

Peggy Johnston, Des Moines, IA, USA.

Description of design: Covers are 1/8 inch thick plexiglass. The plexiglass
was masked, then sand-blasted to create windows allowing the images on
the front and back pages of the catalog to be viewed through the cover.
The blasting material gave the plastic a rusty tint which reflects the
color of the book’s pages. The binding is Coptic, sewn with linen
thread on six needles. The label is letterpress printed on dyed goat skin.
28 x 21.5 x 2 cm.

Peggy graduated from the University of Wyoming with a double degree in
art and education. Since then she has continued her studies in painting,
printing and the book arts by taking classes and workshops whenever possible.
She is represented in the contemporary
part of the exhibition with a book work.

Ashley and Shalini are both work-study students in the Conservation Lab
of the Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Library.
When not working in the lab, both are printmaking majors (junior and senior
respectively) in the School of Art and Design at Syracuse University.
Shalini completed the "book
arts" course last fall and currently working on an independent
study in advanced book arts topics, both with Peter Verheyen.

Trained in French technique binding in Montreal with Simone B. Roy, Hedwin
Heim in Ascona and Hugo Peller in Solothurn. Also trained in gold tooling
in Paris with Roger Arnoult. Participated in numerous exhibition all over
the world and was chair of the Standards Committee of Excellence of the
Guild of Book Workers from 1988 to 2000. Is currently Director of the
American Academy of Bookbinding in Telluride CO and Ann Arbor MI. She
is represented in both the retrospective
and contemporary
parts of the 100th anniversary exhibition.

Bound September 2007. I had a copy already, but bought another set of
loose sheets to bind. I decided to interweave both copies, same pages
together, as through the years, I can see many of our lives interweaving
together. It was a great experience, I was able to see and think about
each book as I wove another into it, and I realized how I had not paid
much attention to my peer’s bindings as much as I should have. The
cover was hard. I did about 5 different bindings before I came up with
this one. How this one developed was through pure frustration and depression.
After weaving the books, I realized how they all looked alike, they were
all different, but the same. I wanted to make a cover, delicate for the
preciousness of the books inside, and I also wanted to destroy them all.

The covers are covered in pinhole photographs of my bindery back porch.
It is a panorama from a 25 minute exposure from a camera I call the Big
Guy. One can just see the door entry. I thought that was appropriate,
the entrance to a bindery. I have clouded it, as the clouds keep me aware.
The holes represent lace, a delicate thing. Inside, the holes drilled
through all the pages, suddenly become music sheets. A rough, but complete
harmony. 28 x 22 x 1.5 cm.

Charlene Matthews is a full time bookbinder, working in restoration,
box making, art fabrication and book arts. Her work can be found worldwide.
She is also crazy about her oatmeal box pin-hole camera. She is represented
in the contemporary
part of the 100th anniversary exhibition.

Student of Jim Dast, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Bill Anthony,
University of Iowa. MFA in printmaking with an emphasis in book arts and
papermaking. Worked for libraries and institutions in book and paper conservation
and now I am in private practice.

Formal apprenticeship at the Buchbinderei Klein in Gelsenkirchen, Germany;
internships at the Germanisches Nationalmusum in Nuremberg, Germany, and
at the Folger Shakespeare Library with Frank Mowery; worked with Heinke
Pensky-Adam and William Minter, and at the Yale , Cornell, and Syracuse
university libraries. Past Exhibitions Chair for the Guild of Book Workers
and represented with one work in the contemporary
part of the 100th anniversary exhibition.